Lakers, Angels trade news send fans on emotional rollercoaster

December 9, 2011 12:00:00 AM PST

By Rob Fukuzaki and Elex Michaelson

LOS ANGELES --

Southern California sports fans are riding a rollercoaster of emotion. A trade that would have brought an All-Star guard to the Los Angeles Lakers fell apart just hours after the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim acquired baseball's top slugger and a pitching ace.

Just when the Lakers had a trade in place to score one of the NBA's premiere point guards in Chris Paul, Commissioner David Stern rejected the deal that would have shipped Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom out of town.

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak reportedly was told by Stern that the deal was not going to happen but he was given no explanation.

Sources said NBA owners were protesting the trade that would have sent Gasol and Odom to the New Orleans Hornets. Gasol then would be dealt to the Houston Rockets and they would send New Orleans a couple of other players.

One NBA owner said that if the league continues to let this kind of thing happen, there will be just five teams that can compete.

The league and the commissioner had veto power in this case since the Hornets are owned by the NBA.

ESPN reported Thursday night that Paul is seeking a lawsuit against the NBA for blocking the trade.

Paul simply posted, "WOW," on his Twitter page. Odom tweeted, "When a team trades u and it doesn't go down? Now what?"

Odom was much more somber in an ESPN radio interview.

"You're always going to be stunned and shocked. Even when you fall flat on your face, but you're able to pick yourself up. Sometimes you still bleed, sometimes you still cry," said Odom.

Training camps open Friday and Paul said he won't report to the Hornets camp and Odom said he might not report to the Lakers camp.

Many Lakers fans said while they support Odom and Gasol, they were disappointed the deal didn't go through.